Why Malvan

Malvan is a town and taluka in Sindhudurg District, the southernmost district of Maharashtra State, India, well known for the historically important Sindhudurg Fort. Malvan taluka consists of villages such as Aangnechi Wadi (Village : Masure ), Achra, Khalchi Devli, Jamdul, Juva, Pankhol, Talasheel and Sarjekot. The main occupation here is fishing with the staple diet of the local people fish curry and rice. The town produces Alphonso mangoes and is also known for sweets such as Malvani Khaja made from gram-besan flour and coated jaggery as well as Malvani Ladoos. Malvani Dashavtar, a drama-play based on mythological stories, is an important cultural element of the area.

Malvan is a compact town situated on the coast of Western India and boasts some beautiful beaches. Sindhudurg fort, Tarkarli beach, Mobar point, Chivla beach, Tondavali beach, all attract tourists. Malvan town is bound by three small creeks: Karli, Kolamb and Kalavali.

Geography and Climate

Malvan is a compact town situated on the coast of Western India and boasts some beautiful beaches. Sindhudurg fort, Tarkarli beach, Mobar point, Chivla beach, Tondavali beach, all attract tourists. Malvan town is bound by three small creeks: Karli, Kolamb and Kalavali.

The climate of Malvan can be generally classified as warm and moderately humid. Average temperatures range between 16 and 33 °C while relative humidity ranges from 69 to 98%. The annual average rainfall of Malvan is 2275 mm.

Cuisine

Malvani cuisine is the standard cuisine of the Konkan region of Maharashtra and Goa, and some northern parts of West Karnataka. Although Malvani cuisine is predominantly non-vegetarian, there are many vegetarian delicacies. Although it is an independent cuisine, it overlaps Maharashtrian cuisine and Goan cuisine. Malvan is a town in the Sindhudurg district on the west coast of Maharashtra.

Fish dishes dominate the Malvani cuisine. The fiery seafood curries may be a bit too spicy for some people, but are quite tasty. The Malvani cuisine is very similar to Goan or coastal South Indian cuisine.

Dashavataar

It is an art form popular in most of the Konkan region in Maharashtra and more so in and around Malvan. It is a play that depicts the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu (as in Hindu mythalogy). This continues till wee hours of morning or probably after that also sometimes. Dashavataar, mainly conducted at the time of "Saptah" which the mahapuja of Gram Devta. During this all villagers also sale their home made products like Khaja, Kadak Ladu (popularly known as "Khatkhate Ladu"), Lonache - (Pickles), and others. This utsav is the main Parvany (Event) for the villagers. At this very important event, all Chakarmani (A term used for A large number of Salaried class people from Konkan work who work in cities like Mumbai, Pune) visit their homes and enjoy the Khajas and Laadus.

Wildlife Sanctuary

The Malvan (marine) Wildlife Sanctuary was declared on 13 April 1987, with a core zone of 3.182 km² and buffer zone of 25.94 km² (total area being 29.122 km²). The core zone includes the Sindhudurg fort, Padamged island and other submerged rocky structures. The north eastern border of the buffer zone is 50 m from the sea near Malvan port, while on the east it is a semi-circular sandy beach 500 m parallel to the shore of Malvan, in the south it is near Mandel rock, and in the west touches the Malvan rock.

Scuba diving and snorkeling

In India there are a very few places where scuba diving can be done and Malvan is one of them. Due to its relatively clear sea waters, Malvan serves as a perfect spot for scuba diving (done mostly with surface oxygen supply) and snorkeling. Near the outer walls of Sindhudurg fort one can see lots of live corals and colorful marine life under the sea.

Water sports

There are various water sports options available throughout Malvan near sea coast at an affordable rates. Tsunami Island (near Devbaug beach) is a small island on the delta of Tarkarli river. This beach cum island also is the place to enjoy boat ride in the backwaters of Tarkarli River. This island is NOT formed due to Tsunami waves, But due to this imaginary name it is a popular tourist destination for water sports where one can enjoy rides like Jet-Ski, Banana boat ride, Bumper boat, Kayaks etc. Best time to visit Tsunami island for water sports is during high tide when the small island is partially submerged under the water (till knee length).

Tourist attractions

Malvan has emerged as one of the major tourist attraction places in Maharashtra in recent years. Its clean beaches, historical monuments, tasty food/sea food options, various affordable water sports are attracting tourists like magnet. There are many guest house options available in Malvan for stay. Oct to May is the best time to visit. Tourists are advised to book the stay in advance in case planning to visit in months of Apr to May and Nov to Dec; there is large influx of tourists during these months.

Vengurla town is very near from Malvan and also has many tourist attractions like temples (Rameshwar, Sateri, Mauli, Navadurga, Rampurush,etc.), forts, beaches, Veg/Non-Veg food.

Bollywood Film City

TThe Sai Bollywood Film City in India is located in Dikwal Village, Nandos, Malvan Taluka, District Sindhudurg in Maharashtra. It is the first Bollywood film city in the world. It is also a popular tourism and leisure place, containing both the film city and an entertainment zone.

Sai Bollywood Film City was established by Sai Bollywood Film City India Pvt. Ltd. The film city was approved by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). The city built a Hollywood-style sign saying Bollywood on a hill, as in California.